Pelham Historical Group

Pelham Historical Group Pelham Ontario is a town in Ontario Canada. Our town boasts an array of quaint fruit stands, rich farmlands and a small town spirit.

Pelham is comprised the following villages: Fonthill, Fenwick, Ridgeville, Effingham and North Pelham
Photos coyright Pelham historical information including life, culture, people, photos and more. Coverage includes the villages of Fonthill, Fenwick, North Pelham,and Ridgeville

1950s vs 2026 -Pelham’s Original Baseball FieldThe original baseball field in Pelham was built through a massive volunte...
06/01/2026

1950s vs 2026 -Pelham’s Original Baseball Field
The original baseball field in Pelham was built through a massive volunteer effort at Fonthill Park (now Marlene Stewart Streit Park) following its opening on May 24, 1939.
The Creation of "The Pit"The field was constructed inside a natural ravine just north of modern-day Highway 20. Local residents nicknamed the bowl-shaped area "The Pit" due to its steep, sunken terrain. Although the park hosted basic sports fields and fireworks during its 1939 launch, the site initially lacked a proper entrance from the downtown core.
The Lions Club Upgrades:
In 1945, the Fonthill Lions Club took over the development of the park's sports facilities. Their volunteer efforts transformed the original field through several key projects:Roadway Access: The club bought the necessary land rights to build Park Street, creating a direct entrance into the ravine.
Field Construction: Volunteers cleared the land to build a dedicated baseball diamond and a community bandstand.Night Lighting: In the late 1940s, the Lions funded and installed the town's first field floodlights, making evening baseball games possible.Winter Transformation: During the winter, volunteers lined the area next to the diamond with sawdust and flooded it to create an outdoor hockey and skating rink.

Zwierschke Bros. LtdBusiness LegacyCompany Status: The business has operated for over 80 years in the community.Generati...
05/31/2026

Zwierschke Bros. Ltd
Business LegacyCompany Status:
The business has operated for over 80 years in the community.
Generational Ownership: Originally founded and operated by Wesley Zwierschke, management eventually passed down to his son, Ross Zwierschke.
Relocation: While the 1982 from the Pelham Herald advertisement lists the business office on Station Street in Fonthill, the enterprise later shifted its operational footprint to Fenwick, ON. They have retained the original corporate phone number listed in this clipping (905-892-2634).

Early Era (1942–1980s): As displayed in your clipping, the company initially focused heavily on infrastructure build-outs. They utilized heavy-duty dump trucks and industrial CASE crawler tractors for bulk earthmoving, drainage excavation, residential sewer line installations, and winter snow clearing across the Town of Pelham.
Modern Specialization: While the early business offered all-purpose excavation, the firm iteratively specialized its core services. Today, operating under the simplified moniker Zwierschke Brothers, they are widely recognized across the region as premier experts in residential and commercial septic systems. Their modern services include septic design, tank pumping, holding tank cleanouts, and component repairs.

📖 Historical Recipes — Rag to Rheumatism to FruitcakeI’ve found this little book absolutely perplexing. Was it a school ...
05/26/2026

📖 Historical Recipes — Rag to Rheumatism to Fruitcake

I’ve found this little book absolutely perplexing. Was it a school project? Was it simply used because paper was scarce? And most importantly… who was E.H. Miller?

The inside cover is marked “SS #7,” which likely refers to the school in North Pelham at the corner of Balfour and Metler — although it could possibly be the later school on Maple and Metler.

If we could identify E.H. Miller, it might solve part of the mystery. In researching family history from the mid-to-late 1800s, I came across an Anne Miller. Could this book have belonged to her mother?

What makes this little collection fascinating is that it contains recipes for far more than cooking. There are remedies and cures for all sorts of ailments tucked inside its pages. I chose not to publish most of those recipes because, honestly, some of the ingredients were positively terrifying!

Klager's Meats (often called Klager's Butcher Shop) was Fonthill’s oldest continuing business before it permanently clos...
05/24/2026

Klager's Meats (often called Klager's Butcher Shop) was Fonthill’s oldest continuing business before it permanently closed its doors in February 2015. The beloved staple was opened by Gordon and Ruth Klager in 1934 and operated on Pelham Street for over 80 years.
The history of this historic local institution features a few key highlights:Early Beginnings: The original store was actually built in the 1920s by Fred Klager and briefly run by Jim Williams. Gordon Klager took over the location and officially opened the butcher shop in 1934.A Family Affair: The shop was known for its deep community roots. Gordon and Ruth's daughter, Eleanor, started helping out in the store at just 12 years old, doing baking and odd jobs.Generations of Service: Eleanor went on to marry Fred Arbour, who joined the family business. Together, Eleanor and Fred eventually took over the shop and served multiple generations of local families.Community Staples: Alongside their bustling butcher counter, the Arbours were fixtures at the Pelham Farmers Market for 20 years and were deeply involved in the Fonthill Lions Club.The Final Cut: After decades of grueling six-day, 12-hour work weeks—and following a staff change that included their son Jamie leaving his post behind the counter—the Arbours retired and closed Klager's Meats in February 2015.

History of Pelham-Names of our First SettlersI am quite often asked the names of our first settlers. I have included a p...
05/22/2026

History of Pelham-Names of our First Settlers
I am quite often asked the names of our first settlers.
I have included a photo from the book: History of Welland County Ontario.
The following families were our original 6:
John Crow
Peter Hendershot
Jacob Reece
George Hansler
Abraham Overholt
Samuel Beckett
David Secord
When doing research it is always a challenge. Families were large and quite often children we named after their parents, grandparents or siblings.
For example George Hansler is my great great great great grandfather.
He had a son Andrew- my 3x great grandfather and he had a son named George W. My 2x great grandfather and he had 5 children- one of whom was Mary Jane my great grandmother.
( on a side note Andrew also had another son he named Andrew and sometimes I see this Andrew referenced as Sr. So you can see where things get complicated)
If any of you have a photo you would like to share please do so.
At any rate, this is an interesting read. This book is my possession and I do refer to it often. Although it says Welland County it does cover all the villages and towns in our area.








Pelham HistoryOkay everyone, this class pic is from 1944. Hansler School SS #2The only one I can identify is John Dabol...
05/20/2026

Pelham History
Okay everyone, this class pic is from 1944. Hansler School SS #2
The only one I can identify is John Daboll front row left to right.
So many of you know these names please share if you can identify more.
Photo Copyright 2026 Pelham Historical Group “All Rights Reserved”

🌾 A Glimpse into Pelham Farming History: July 19, 1920 🚜Take a look at this incredible photograph from the historic John...
05/16/2026

🌾 A Glimpse into Pelham Farming History: July 19, 1920 🚜
Take a look at this incredible photograph from the historic John Daboll farm on what is now called Luffman Drive in Effingham!
This snapshot captures a moment of daily labor on the homestead, showcasing both local family roots and the changing landscape of 1920s agriculture.
Mildred Daboll (on the left): Pictured here in her early 20s, Mildred grounds the photo in local history. Dressed in heavy-duty work clothes and a protective apron, she holds onto the heavily loaded wooden transport crate on the wheelbarrow, showing the everyday grit it took to run the family property.
A Shift to Modernity: While farming in 1920 still required immense physical effort, this photo highlights a period of rapid modernization. The single-wheel hand cultivator on the right was a cutting-edge advancement for its time, allowing a single worker to efficiently slice through weeds and aerate narrow soil rows between crops—a job that previously required slow, repetitive hand-hoeing.
The Diverse Homestead: July was the absolute peak of the frantic Niagara cherry harvest. However, family farms like the Daboll homestead relied on diversified agriculture. The tools tell us that alongside the fruit trees, these women were managing high-yield ground crops (like root vegetables, berries, or tomatoes) planted right between the orchard rows to maximize land utility.A truly wonderful and authentic window into the past, capturing Mildred and the blend of traditional hard work and early modern innovation on a historic Pelham farm! ❤️
Photo Copyright 2026 Pelham Historical Group

Historical Business AdsCheck out those phone numbers!Do you know what it means when it says 30r 2?Bonus if you share a p...
05/14/2026

Historical Business Ads
Check out those phone numbers!
Do you know what it means when it says 30r 2?

Bonus if you share a picture of the phone😊

History of PelhamNo TV, No Radio, No ElectronicsSo what did one do in the 1800’s in Pelham for fun?Scrapbooking!The imag...
05/13/2026

History of Pelham
No TV, No Radio, No Electronics
So what did one do in the 1800’s in Pelham for fun?
Scrapbooking!
The images were found in an envelope owned by Mary Jane Hansler (a descendant born in the 1800’s and a descendant of one of our original settlers). I have included the envelope that holds them, the back of a sample cut out, a full page before cutting out and many examples of the work that has been put into meticulously cutting out each image. The colours are vibrant and well preserved.
Scrapbooking in 1800s Ontario was a popular Victorian-era pastime used to preserve personal, sentimental, and ephemeral items, often described as a "femicine," "organized" activity. These scrapbooks, known at the time as "keepsake albums," were used to store newspaper clippings, calling cards, and letters.
Here are key aspects of 19th-century scrapbooking in Ontario:Common Content and MaterialsNewspaper Clippings: Scrapbookers frequently cut out recipes, poems, obituaries, and articles on current events, sometimes focusing on notable or "gruesome" deaths, or notable figures.Calling Cards: Beautifully decorated cards (often with floral or pastoral scenes) exchanged during social visits were often pasted into albums, reflecting Victorian social etiquette.Personal Mementos: Albums often included sketches, signatures, watercolor paintings, hair locks, or pressed flowers.
I do have many completed scrapbooks from this period. I will share these at a later date. I would imagine many of you have similar scrapbooks as they are highly collectible.

Why are 3 Boys Almost Crying? (Early 1900)Sometimes you look at a class pic and you left with more questions than answer...
05/13/2026

Why are 3 Boys Almost Crying? (Early 1900)
Sometimes you look at a class pic and you left with more questions than answers.
If you know anyone please add to comments.

S.S. #1 Pelham, historically known as Law's School, was a one-room schoolhouse located on Roland Road near the Effingham intersection, with early origins dating back to 1832. It was part of the local school system until 1945, when it became part of a larger area school grouping.

Photo Source: copyright 2026 Pelham Historical Group

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